Key ring with a sliding closure member



Sept. 20, 1949. H. c. VAISEY. ETAL I KEY RING WITH A SLIDING CLOSUREMEMBER my Hden'ck G.Demi1z5.

kfi

Filed Aug. 23, 1944 Harold CJ culsez Patented Sept. 20 1949 '7ksY'mNGwirnfAs "MEMB qciiosrnr Harold 0. Kaiser and Frederick-v6'ltochest niN-X1;.a rsjtallickok I turing i mpanyalncsR chester,

poration of NewYork Demin Application August 23, 1944, Serial 3510.550,812

f 'llhisinvention relates to a, key chain assembly; and; moreparticularly. to such an assembly embodying'therewith a novel: key ring.and closure therefor, and: a novel: trouser 100p clasp and closure.

The closures for'the key ring andthe trouser loop. are substantiallyidentical and" are preferably-made oinasuitable composition ofthe'nature of:: a. synthetic resin orsimilar material, such composition.beingeither opaque or translucent. Theselclosures may,yhowever, be madeof metal. The key: chain assembly. as a whole consists ofan:elon'gatedachain: orthe like, which is of: course flexible, and havingattachedfiat one-endsthe novel key ring, 'andhavingattached at the otherend the novel: trouser 'loopclasp. The connecting meansimay, asaforesaid; be: a metallic chain or afiexible connecting means made of acomposition ofthe nature of a synthetic resin or similar material; orany other suitable connecting means; Prior keychain assemblies include.a flexible chainor the like with a key ring at one end and some meansforattaching the other end to a trouser loop. In these-prior devices,.liowever; the structural characteristics of the key ring and the trouserloop 'clasp difierconsiderably and,"moreover, the keyringandtrouseriloop clasp-aremade wholly of metallic material. In other-words;both the keyring and the trouser loop claspareen tirel-y of. metal; 7 v5 Due to; the shortage of metal, which isfn'owclassed as. a criticalmaterial, the provision or a closure mad'of a composition in the nature}ofwa synthetic Tesin lor' other similar material ion-"keys rings andtrouserf-loop clasps' result's in a considerable savings of critical'metal. l The use of; the closure device made: of a compos tion of. thenature of a. synthetic resin or- "like? material for key: rings andthelike'is also advantageous in thatthe-same arejmade-at a considerablylower cost than theprior metal closures for such devices; Then too,closures-made of a synthetic resin or similar materialfor k'ey' ringsand the like results in an enhanced eye;

appeal tothe purchaser and user. The-factthat theclosures. for thekeyrings andthe like are made of: a composition of thenatureof'asyntheticresin orlikematerial permits the same to 'be in many andvariedcolors, which colors can be the same as the "connecting-hhsin orthe like, or a contrasting'r color' or acombination of diflerent.colors." Moreover; the described-closures for key rings and the likepermit of readily moldingwtheseelosures inquantities more quickly-thanmetalorother material; and at a considerably lower cost. After themolding-process ofthese closureszier key: rin s and the l ke; uitableshoring: devices and-retainin spr ng which; re-. tam-the 61051 7313:creator clos d ps t on are inserted'andflxedly associated with. thelosure Eunther'. the: closuredevice t rv key ring and thelikeabeine otiamaterial oi' enaturev of a srnthe iczre in orrlikematerialand-the eyrings or the. like being oiame allic material, there.

naturally results-a difterentcoefiicient of iriction- Y between-thetwomaterials and; therefor in on:

Another-object of the. invention is to'provide afilw closure-for ackeyring or the like,v Preferably. formed; of a: material: of :thev nature:of a syntheticuresin or'like material. and associatedwithaalmetallicikey ringior the like. J ZA IfIOthEI objectzzof; theinvention is to provide a, noveliclosure combined with as spring holdingretaining meanspto maintain it; in open or closed position whenassociated: with a key ring or the like.

Another-objectof "theinvention is to provide a slidaiole' closure madeof 'a composition of the natureao-r' a synthetic resin= orlike materialfor key rings and the like, whichis durable and capable J'of-iiongassociation and very efiective use in connection-with a key ring or thelike and V which: will perform' its function ideally whenassociated'witha metallic key ring; or the like.

AnotherYoloject of the invention is to provide a closuremadeof acomposition of the nature of a synthetic resin or'like material for keyrings andthe like which is preferablyimolded or extruded; and:- londs'-itse1ftosuchmolding or extrusion on aqua-enzymes and at a muchlowercost than presentsday metallic materials.

* Ahot-herobject' of the invention is to provide a new type of closurefor a key ring and a trouser lo'op clasp; the structural characteristicsof the two devices being substantially identical and whichfdevicesare:admirably suitable for attachmentto 'the'respective-ends of aoonnecting cliai'n orthe-like and when-so connected resulting in anw keychain assemblyas-a whole.

closure for the key ring in its open position ready; to receive a keythrough the gap in the key ring;

4 assembled with the inverted U-formation 9 of the metallic key ring,there is effected a very close and snug sliding fit. The opposite innersidewalls 20 and 2i of the closure form a smooth sliding fit with theouter fiat sidewalls 22 and 23, respectively, of the inverted ,U-shapedportion 9 constituting the upper part of the key ring. This same snugsliding fit is also effected by the engagement of the inner front andback walls 24 and 25 (se e Fig. 4) of the closure with the re- Yspe'ctivefront and rear flat portions of the in- Fig. 4 is a verticalsectional View along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the lines 7 5--5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a view partly in vertical section of the new trouser loopclasp. Theinvention will bemore readily understood by referring to thedrawings in detail wherein in Fig. 1, the key-chain assembly as a wholeis shown and includes the flexible chainC' or the like. This flexiblechain C constitutes the connecting means for the new clasps at each endthereof. The connecting means C maybe, as shown, in the form-of ametallic link chain, or it maybe of other suitable flexible material;The new keyring is shown attached to one end' of the chain and hassuitable keys E retained therein. The trouser loop clasp T is shownattached to the other end of the chain and is attached to aconventionaltrouser loopL. We shall first consider the key ringstructure which is broadly a clasp andwhich consists of a key-holding,preferably-circular metallic ring 8, preferably formed of polygonalstock thereby providing flat faces, and whichconstitutes the lowerportion of the key ring, the integral upper por--' tion 9' of which 'isof substantially inverted U-shape. This inverted U-shape formation. ofthe upper part of the keyring thereby provides a substantiallyrectangular opening ID for a purpose later to be" described. One legportion. 9' of the U-shapeformation 9' is shortenthanethe opposite-legand provides a gap 1 l therebetwe'en and; the shoulder'lfi' of the loop8, which gap serves to admit a key for association and retention onthe'key ringloop or-portion 8. The bight portion 52 of the invertedU-shape formation. of the key ring 9 .is preferably flattened andprovided with an opening l3, whichopening'. serves for attachmentiof thelink or ring at one end ofthe chain or the like C. "The provision of'the gap 'II in the inverted ushape portion 9 of the keyring resultszin aslightly upturned end N5 of thekey'ring 8 pro viding a shoulder or stopportion 16 immediately: adjacent thesame. The gap ll further results inthe leg 8 of the U-shape formation having'its end H'in spaced alignmentwiththe upturned end it of the key ring '8. g

Theend I? of the shorter leg 9' of-the' inverted Ll shaped formation ofthe key ring is flattened or inclined as at I3 at its inner side, thatis, inwardly of the upper portion of the gap formation i. q

a The closure for the key ring is denoted generally at P. Thisclosure isof substantially rec tangular hollow formationand is providedwith anopening I!) which extends fromone end thereof to the other. Thedimensions of the opening I9 in the closure are calculated so thatwhenit is verted U-shaped formation 9 which the closure P lflembraces;

After theg-closu're P has been associated with the-inverted U-shapeportion of the key ring "'or clasp by sliding the same thereon, ananchor pinit, preferably o metal and having a central portion 2? whichacts as an anchor or bearing for a spring later described and havingopposite end portions 28 and as is associated therewith. The endportions 28 and 23 are embedded andheld in 'thes'lide P, and the centralportion 21 is disposed'within the opening l9'substantially mediallythereof, 'and preferably adjacent the top portion thereof. v

..This anchor pin 25 provides a definite means of mounting an invertedsubstantially V-shaped metallic spring S thereon, which spring is formedof suitable preferably flat stock. .The V-shaped spring'is distortedsomewhatrso as to provide at its bightportions a normally closed eyeportion 36 which-serves as a means for mounting it on the anchor pin 26.Immediately below this eye formation or portion, the spring Sis in theform of curved or bowed arms 3|, which serves to fix the closure in itsopen or normally closed positions. The lower portion of the spring '8consisting of the outwardly-bowed arms 3|, which are; similar inconfiguration are curved inwardly at their ends toward each other as at32. This formation of thespring S therefore, provides a flatoutersurface at the bowed portions of the arms of-the spring to engagethe flat walls of the openin A0 in the inverted U-shaped formation 9.The inner sidewalls of the inverted U-shaped portion 9; of the key ring,present a flat surface for engagement of the opposite curved lowerportions of. the'spring s, f I 1 .gByq referring to Fig. 2, it'will beseen that the hollow member or slide is in its closed position andfinthis position the spring S is in an expanded conditionuwith ;one ofits-curved portions engaging the inclined face 18 of the leg 9', andthereby serving to lock or fixthe closure in this closed position.The-spring S,- it willbe noted,

can rockbackgiand forth on its pivot 26.

,Byreferringrto Fig, 3, it will be seen'that the closure P- isin itsopen position, thereby exposing the gap l I. The spring S is thus in acompressed condition within the opening Informed by'theoppositely-disposed 'parallel'legs of the inverted U-shaped formation9gof the key ring. When the-key. ring is in open position as shown inFig. 3, it is quite obvious that any key or like device havingan-opening may easily be inserted in the gap H and allowed to passaround onto the ring formation 8.. Afterone or more keys have thusbeenassociated with, the key ring 8,-then the key ring is closed bysimply sliding the closure P on the legs of the U-shaped formation 9 soas to cover the gap 1 I, asv shown in Fig.2.

5 The foregoing descriptionhas been directed to The trouser loop theaforesaid key ring structure, theonly difference beingin'tlieronn'orfcomour 'of'the trouser loopclasp. Instead of being circular asinthe keyv ring, it is of. substantiallytriangular ior-mation 8?; andthereby -preseriting a substantially triangular opening therein rather:-than the circular openingas. m the? keyring. It. is to be noted thatthesame.slidableiclosure member P is associated withthe trouser loopclasp the same manner. .as .theclosure is associatedi'with thehereinbefore described key ring.

The formation of the spring S andits association with either the keyring or the trouser loop clasp, each having the closure, which ispreferably slidable, results when moving the closure to its closedposition, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, in a snapping action of the springinto the gap ll. During the latter part of the closing movement, theexpansive force of the spring riding or sliding on the inclinedformation l8 produces the aforesaid snapping action and has a tendencyto move the closure into full closed position, as shown in. Figs. 2 and6; In other words, the opening or expanding of the curved arms 2! of thespring exerts a force sufficient at least to aid in the final movementof the closure device to full closed position, and this is a sort ofautomatic action that takes place when the closure is manually moved toits closed position.

During the molding of the closure P made of a composition of the natureof a synthetic resin or like material, the same of course can beembossed or embellished exteriorly in any suitable manner, such as byproviding the embossed panels B on the front and/or rear faces thereof.It

it is to be understood that any suitable ornamenefiected subsequent tothe molding process.

From the foregoing it will be clear that there is provided a new keychain assembly as a whole,

and the new key ring and trouser loop, each associated with a novel,preferably slidable, closure device made of a material of the nature ofa synthetic resin or like materiak This plastic closure device is uniquein that it lends itself ideally in an association with a ke ring claspor other similar metallic device.

It is to be distinctly understood that while we prefer to make the newclosures of a material 'of the nature of a synthetic resin or othersuitable material, these closures, both for the key ring and the trouserloop clasp can, of course, be made of metal. 7

Having described our invention, what we claim 1. A device of thecharacter described comprising an article receiving member including aloop and a substantially U-shaped portion providing spaced legs, one ofthe legs being shorter than the other leg and spaced from the loop ofthe article receiving member to provide an article receiving gaptherebetween, and a closing means for said gap including a hollow memberslidable longitudinally on said legs and a flexible spring confinedwithin said hollow member between said legsand having oppositelydisposed outwardly bowed yieldable portions in constant engagement withsaid legs and yieldable one bowed portion with relation to the oppositebowed portion as the hollow member is moved longitudinally along said 7legs to open and close said gap.

2. A device of the character described comprising an article receivingmember including a loop and a substantially U-shaped portion providingspaced. legs; one?offtheslegsibein'gf shorter thantheother::leg=rand::'spacedifrom. the loop' of :the article receiving;.member 2 to .provide 1 anarticle receiving gap therebetween, saidshorter :leglh'aving an [inclined portion; atii'ts free end on the innerside. thereofiland a closure means for said gap including a hollowmember slidable longitudinally along said legs and 'a flexible springconfined. within. said. hollow member between said legs and havingoppositely disposed Qoutwardly bowed portions having constant engagementwith the inner sides of said legs and yieldable relative to each otheras one of the bowed portions rides over the said inclined portion of oneof said legs upon outward movement of said hollow member on said legs toexpose said gap and upon inward movement of the hollow member on thelegs to close the gap snapping into the gap tomaintain the latterclosed.

3. A clasp comprising an article receiving member including a loop andlaterally spaced straight parallel rigid legs, one of the legs beingconnected with the loop and the other leg being spaced from the loop andwith the loop providing a gap beyond the loop adjacent the inner sidethereof and opposite the other leg, a closure slidable on said legs toopen and close said gap, and a spring on the closure having a portionarranged to snap into said gap beyond the loop when the closure ispositioned on the legs to close said gap.

4. A clasp comprising an article receiving mem- V ber including a loopand spaced legs, one of the the gap.

5. A clasp comprising an article receiving mem-' ber including a loopand spaced legs, one of the legs being connected with the loop and theother leg being spaced at one end from the loop to provide a gap beyondthe loop leading into said loop, said last mentioned leg having aninclined portion at its free end, a closure slidable on said legs foropening and closing said gap and a spring carried by said closure havinga yieldable portion arranged to ride inwardly over and beyond saidinclined portion of said leg which is spaced from the loop and presstightly against said leg when the closure is positioned on the legs toopen said gap.

6. A clasp comprising an article-receiving member including a loop andspaced parallel legs, one of the legs being connected with the loop andthe other leg being spaced at one end from the loop to provide a gapleading into said loop, a

closure slidable on said legs for opening and closing said gap, and aspring of V-shaped form having oppositely disposed arms confined withinthe closure between said legs for bodily rocking movement with the armsof the spring engaging the legs so that one of the arms snaps outwardlyinto said gap when the closure is moved to a position to close the gap.

'7. A clasp comprising an article-receiving member including a loop andspaced legs, one of the legs being connected with the loop and the otherleg being spaced at one end from the loop to provide a gap beyond theloop leading into the same,

a closure slidable on said legs for opening and V closing said gap, anda'spring within the closure when'the closure is positioned on the legsto close 7 carried thereby and disposed. between said legs, said springhaving a portion arranged to snap into said gap when the closure ispositioriedon the legs to close the gap. HAROLD C. VAISEY.

FREDERICK G. DEMING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

Number

